Amaravati, October 16, 2025:

In the Ranji Trophy 2025 curtain-raiser at Greenfield Stadium, Maharashtra stumbled early on a damp pitch favouring seamers, slumping to 18 for 5 before Ruturaj Gaikwad's assured 91 steadied the ship to 179 for 7 by stumps.

Gaikwad, blending caution with flair, dead-batted low-bouncers and unleashed drives once the surface dried, partnering Jalaj Saxena to accelerate against spinners.

Prithvi Shaw endured a forgettable start, lbw for a duck to MD Nidheesh's inswinger, exposing technical vulnerabilities in the seamer-friendly conditions. Kerala's Nidheesh, executing precise plans, hailed Gaikwad's resilience: "We forced him to play every ball, but he and Saxena batted smartly."

The day underscored contrasting paths. Gaikwad's steady rise versus Shaw's stalled promise set up a tense second day.